Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · May 2011
Multicenter StudySerum zinc in critically ill adult patients with acute respiratory failure.
Zinc deficiency leads to susceptibility to infections and may affect pulmonary epithelial cell integrity. Low zinc levels have also been associated with a degree of organ failure and decreased survival in critically ill children. Accordingly, the purpose of the study was to assess serum zinc in adult patients with acute respiratory failure, its association with ventilatory support time, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), organ dysfunction and 30-day mortality. ⋯ Serum zinc on initiation of ventilation had no predictive value for 30-day mortality, ventilatory support time or intensive care unit LOS.